Buffalo Grove, IL Road Trips
Buffalo Grove, IL serves as a quiet starting point in the Midwest, connecting drivers to 9 outbound routes across the area. Most drives stay under 98 miles, making this area well-suited for day trips and weekend getaways. Most routes from Buffalo Grove, IL head south, giving the route network a clear directional lean.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Trip Routes
10
Longest Drive
321.7 mi
Quincy, IL
Quickest Drive
47m
Chicago, IL
Plan Around Buffalo Grove, IL
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Buffalo Grove, IL is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Continue From Buffalo Grove, IL
Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.
Trips from Buffalo Grove, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Decatur, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Peoria, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Champaign, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Bloomington, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Rockford, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Aurora, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Naperville, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Berwyn, IL
Buffalo Grove, IL to Chicago, IL
Driving from Buffalo Grove, IL
On average, trips departing from Buffalo Grove, IL run 98 miles with a drive time of roughly 2h 2m. The majority of routes are short drives — quick enough to finish before lunch and be back for dinner. The longest mapped route runs 193 miles (3h 50m), while the shortest is just 30 miles.
Popular Destinations
Drivers leaving Buffalo Grove, IL most often head toward Decatur, IL (192.9 mi, 3h 50m), Peoria, IL (175.9 mi, 3h 24m), Champaign, IL (159.3 mi, 3h 13m), Bloomington, IL (143.9 mi, 2h 55m), and Rockford, IL (67.5 mi, 1h 27m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.
Planning & Costs
Regular gas in IL currently averages around $3.77 per gallon. For the typical 98-mile trip from Buffalo Grove, IL, budget about $15 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.
With an average drive under three hours, you have plenty of flexibility — leave whenever it suits you. The majority of destinations are to the south. Morning starts help you avoid the midday heat on longer drives.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 9 mapped routes leaving Buffalo Grove, IL and 1 routes heading into Buffalo Grove, IL, covering 10 total connections. Distances range from 30 to 193 miles.
The longest mapped route from Buffalo Grove, IL covers 193 miles and takes approximately 3h 50m. Shorter options start at just 30 miles.
The average route from Buffalo Grove, IL runs about 98 miles with a drive time of roughly 2h 2m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.
At current gas prices (about $3.77/gallon for regular), the average 98-mile trip from Buffalo Grove, IL costs roughly $15 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.
The most popular road trip destinations from Buffalo Grove, IL include Decatur, IL, Peoria, IL, Champaign, IL and Bloomington, IL. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.
Buffalo Grove, IL by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
42,824
Median Income
$129,820
Median Home Value
$392,900
Median Age
42.1
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Buffalo Grove, IL at a Glance
Founded
1958
Area
4 mi²
Notable People from Buffalo Grove, IL
A sampling of people born in Buffalo Grove, IL.
Felice Herrig
1984
American mixed martial arts fighter
Aaron Himelstein
1985
American actor
Melanie Kannokada
1984
American actress
Ron Goldman
1968–1994
American waiter and murder victim (1968–1994)
Megan Bozek
1991
American women's ice hockey player
Anna Slotky
1981
American actress and attorney
Brett Lebda
1982
American ice hockey player
Stefan Antonijevic
1989
Serbian-American soccer player
Andy Wozniewski
1980
American ice hockey player
City data from Wikidata (Q967086), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Buffalo Grove, IL
Buffalo Grove is a village in Chicagoland, in both Lake and Cook counties, around 30 miles northwest of downtown Chicago.
Buffalo Grove began as a German dairy farming community in the 1840s, growing after World War II and the Korean War, becoming a village in 1958. In 1970, the village experienced a population boom, with many important schools and other organizations being built around this time. In 2006, the village became one of the first official smoke-free communities by banning smoking in public places and work environments. It is home to about 43,000 people (census, 1 April 2020)
1 St. Mary’s Church, 10 N Buffalo Grove Rd (in downtown), ☏ +1 (847) 541-1450. A historic church built in 1899. Free. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Veterans Park, 1300 Weiland Rd. A large park dedicated to veterans of the US Armed Forces, containing a war memorial. (updated Oct 2025) 3 Raupp Museum. A local history museum that explores the area from prehistory to today.
1 Arboretum Club, 401 Half Day Rd (on two sides of the Buffalo Grove Road and Half Day Road intersection), ☏ +1(847)913-1112. Golf club. Has a driving range. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Buffalo Grove Golf Club, 48 Raupp Blvd. $24. (updated Sep 2025) 3 Chevy Chase Country Club, 1000 N Milwaukee Ave, ☏ +1(847) 537-5819. (updated Sep 2025) 4 Golf Dome, 801 McHenry Rd (at Rylko Park), ☏ +1(847) 353-7575. only open November-April. Indoor driving range. (updated Sep 2025) 5 Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve (along Lake-Cook road). A forest preserve with reservoirs and hiking/cycling paths (updated Sep 2025) 6 Rylko Park, 601 Deerfield Pkwy. Large triangular park that hosts BG Days. Has a skate park, forest preserve, and baseball fields. (updated Sep 2025) 7 Willow Stream Park. A large park with the town swimming pool, disc golf, soccer fields, baseball fields. (updated Sep 2025)
1 Chicago Galbi House, 340 W Half Day Rd. Hibachi-style food. Expensive. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Deerfields Bakery, 201 N Buffalo Grve Rd. Cafe and bakery that sells many different sweets. (updated Sep 2025) 3 Fuji Thai, 1000 Weiland Rd. Quaint sushi place. (updated Sep 2025) 4 Mug’s Pizza & Ribs, 1695 Weiland Rd. Family-owned pizza place. (updated Sep 2025) 5 Niki’s Gyros, 1038 Weiland Rd. Greek and Gyro restaurant, fast-food style. (updated Sep 2025) 6 Sal and Tony’s Italian, 48 Raupp Blvd. Italian restaurant by the golf course. Pricey. (updated Sep 2025) 7 Sushi Grove, 312 McHenry Road (in downtown), ☏ +1 847 520-9988. Sushi restaurant (updated Sep 2025) 8 Wiener Take All. Local hot dog restaurant in a strip mall. (updated Sep 2025) 9 Pizzanoz Pizza, 1137 Weiland Rd, ☏ +1 847 634-3380, [email protected]. M-Th 9AM - midnight, F Sa 9AM - 1AM, Su 10AM - 11PM. Local pizza. (updated Oct 2025) 10 Prairie House Tavern, 2710 N Main St, ☏ +1 (847) 415-2255. 11:00-22:00 full service, 22:00-01:00 bar only. Bar and grill with a large patio. $10-20. (updated Mar 2026) 11 Otaru Sushi, 401 Half Day Rd Unit 1. Sushi at the golf club. (updated Apr 2026)
1 Four Points by Sheraton Buffalo Grove, 900 W Lake Cook Rd. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Extended Stay America Suites - Chicago - Buffalo Grove - Deerfield, 1525 Busch Pkwy. (updated Sep 2025)
1 Buffalo Grove railway station. The railway station here has connections with Pace bus services. 2 Prairie View railway station.
Being a suburb of Chicago, the primary way to get around is by driving. There are some walking paths and nice sidewalks in some parks, but sidewalks aren’t everywhere.
Travel tips adapted from Buffalo Grove on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
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